Overview

• French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk traveled together to Kiev to meet with President Zelensky and advocate for a 30-day ceasefire.
• The leaders, with backing from the United States, called on Russia to agree to a complete and unconditional truce to create space for negotiations on a lasting peace agreement.
• The Kremlin reiterated its stance that a ceasefire is contingent on halting Western arms supplies to Ukraine, which Moscow claims would otherwise give Kyiv a strategic advantage.
• European foreign ministers announced plans in Lviv to establish a Special Tribunal by 2026 to prosecute Russian war crimes, signaling long-term accountability efforts.
• As diplomatic efforts intensify, Russian attacks continue to cause civilian casualties, with reports of at least three Ukrainians killed the previous day.